


A Story About The Man

by Andian



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-01
Updated: 2013-08-01
Packaged: 2017-12-22 02:50:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/908019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andian/pseuds/Andian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is how the story about you continues and you're pleased because you always wanted to know how it all ends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Story About The Man

''We can hardly blame him.'' the man who is not short says. The man who is not tall shakes his head and makes a disapproving sound with his tongue. ''I think,'' he says. ''He is at least partly to blame.'' ''He could not know that she would call him.'' ''But he could have not turned away from the crates. Or he could have counted them.''

''So many coulds.'' the man who is not short mumbles. ''This is leading nowhere.'' ''We will discuss this later.'' the man who is not tall says. ''First we have to deal with him.''

With that both of them are turning towards you. 

The radio of your car has stopped broadcasting every single one of your actions. You're glad about it since you don't think you'd like to hear what is going to happen to you now. You're not glad about what is going to happen to you. 

You're happy about it.

''So,'' you say, not surprised at the careless tone of your voice. ''I guess I'm fired.''

''This depends.'' the man who is not tall says, starting to walk towards you. You can not see his hand and you wonder if he will shoot or stab you and leave you to die alone. Slowly bleeding out in the desert, above you a planet of awesome size, all thick black forest and jagged mountains and deep turbulent oceans.

You wouldn't mind dying, you guess. It would be an appropriate punishment you guess.  
You just wish you hadn't paid for netflix this month already.

''As the man on the radio informed us you did not open the box.'' the man who is not tall stops in front of you. He is not tall, but he still manges to become an overshadowing giant, towering in front of you, forcing you to look up to him even though you shouldn't have to.

You swallow, your throat suddenly as dry as the desert around you.  
''No, I did not open it.'' 

The man is was not tall nods. ''That's good.'' he says. ''That's good. Though you know what is in it, don't you?''

You think back to what the man on the radio had said.

''An intricate miniature house. Inside the house I think I saw for a moment lights and movement.''

The man who is not tall nods again. ''Good, good. It seems you remembered that quite well?''  
''I don't think I will forget it again.'' you say and he nods once more.

There is silence for a moment then. You still can't see the man's hand. You wonder if that's it. The end. 

You welcome it. But even now a small part of you clings to existence. Rolls itself together as tight as possible, nothing but a whimpering animal who repeats with closed eyes to the darkness of the night and the indifference of the world ''I want to live. Please let me live. I want to live.'' It's your greatest weakness and your greatest power. This pure, blind need to survive.

''I already paid for netflix this month.'' you say.

''We have cable.'' the man is was not tall says. ''The new season of Games Of Thrones just started.'' ''I'm not that big a fan.'' you say. ''I can't keep the characters apart.'' ''It helps if you read the books.'' the man who is not tall says. ''I prefer romance novels.'' you say. The man who is not tall shrugs. ''Not what I usually read but they are okay, I guess.''  
You nod at that and then you notice that the man who is not short had disappeared.

He had disappeared suddenly as if he had never been there at all and with him, their car, your car and the desert.

When you look down the ground below it's dark and sunless and when you look straight it's all thick black forests and jagged mountains and deep, turbulent oceans.

''What would you say,'' says the man who is not all who is here alone with you on this dark planet of awesome size. ''I if told you that we're fighting a war?''

Above you see a blue planet of pilulous size bathing in a sun-filled sea of stars, a visible dot all broad green forests and gentle mountains and deep, sometimes peaceful oceans.

''I'd say nothing,'' you say. ''I don't talk about politics with people I don't know.''

The man who is not tall who is here alone with you on this dark planet nods and in his eyes you can see the darkness of the planet reflected while the blue planet of pilulous size drowns in it.

''You're a remarkable person.'' he then says and you are pleased because you always wanted somebody to say that about you.

''That is a problem.'' he then says and you stop being pleased. Above you the blue planet of pilulous size disappears, drowning in a sea of stars and you want to reach for it, want to hold it, want to pull yourself back there somehow, back to the man who is not short, their car, your car and the desert.

You suddenly realize that there are worse things than death.

The man who is not tall and who is now the only other living being barring yourself on this dark planet of awesome size, this invisible titan, all thick black forest and jagged mountains and deep turbulent oceans, this man smiles.

''How do you feel about tan jackets?''

**Author's Note:**

> A Story About The Man In The Tan Jacket


End file.
